Pontiac - Driving Excitement has been my life.

[BANDITCAR]

Hello Everyone!

I have been a Pontiac enthusiast for as long as I can remember. The very first brand new car I bought was a Pontiac and it has been that way ever since. I had promised myself that I would buy nothing but Pontiac for the rest of my life. Well, as we all know, that promise got pulled out from under me in late April of last year when GM announced the demise of the Legendary Pontiac along with other GM brands. I couldn't believe it. First they take away my beloved Firebird and now they are taking away Pontiac all together?!

Needless to say, I was upset. Infact, I was so upset that I began to write. I began to write exactly what I was thinking and feeling about General Motors decision to remove Pontiac from the GM lineup. The letter that I finished I made 2 copies of and sent those two copies out on April 30th, 2009 (Three days after the announcement) to GM world headquarters in Detroit to two separate addresses to make sure they got at least one!

What follows is the letter that I wrote and it explains just what Pontiac meant to me.

Dear General Motors,

This letter is in reference to the recent decision to cut the Pontiac Brand from the General Motors line up of American vehicles.

I will start by stating how upset I am with the executive decision to remove Pontiac. I will do my best to explain why the decision upset me to such a degree as to write this letter. I know this letter will most likely do no good to undo that which has already been done, but your company needs to know how this decision has affected their American consumers and supporters.

I can only write from my own experience, yet I can say my feelings do resonate throughout the community of Pontiac, as well as GM supporters.

My fascination with cars started like so many others at a young age. By playing with small die-cast vehicles as a child and dreaming that one day I would be able to drive and own one of these fantastic vehicles. As a child I didn’t have any conciousness as to the companies that made cars. I only knew that there were certain design elements or names of vehicles that I affiliated with what made a “cool car”. The top two favorite cars that fully engrossed my imagination were the Corvette and the Firebird Trans Am. The Corvette of the 1970's had such bold curves that made it out to be so exotic. Whereas, the straightlines and no nonsense performance of the Trans Am could not go unnoticed, especially with a large mythical bird of fire emblazoned on the hood. What kid wouldn’t be fascinated with either of these cars?

Years later, I started to look more at the real cars that would pass by or that I would see as my Mom drove us around in her 1983 Cadillac Sedan DeVille. We would pass a car dealership whenever she had to pay the electricity bill. In passing this dealership I would notice the cool and futuristic looking vehicles. First there was a little sportscar that for the longest time I thought to be a Ferrari only to find out from friends that it was actually called a Fiero. There was also another type of passenger vehicle at the time the likes of which I had never seen before, The Trans Sport. It looked like it was made by NASA since the long slanting windshield made it resemble the shape of the Space Shuttle. Finally there was the Trans Am. The vehicle that I knew so well from movies and television. The Trans Am represented the ultimate car for me.

It was then, after noticing all these wonderful cars on the same lot that I looked up and saw the sign with bright red letters that spelled out PONTIAC. At that moment was when I made the distinction that any car with a Pontiac nameplate was the car to have. Something in the name spoke to me and made me want to know more. Every time afterward, as we would pass the dealership, I would look for more new and exciting vehicles from Pontiac.

Then came a time in my life where I thought Pontiac had taken their designs a bit too far in the early 1990's. The Trans Am that I had grown to love had a long pointy beak and I lost interest in that car as well as seing these others like the Grand Am and Grand Prix that I just didn’t attach myself to like other models from decades before. I had to ask myself, “Did Pontiac lose their way?”

Then something happened. An event that would forever change the way that I lived my life. That event, as small as it might seem to most, was a television commercial for the new 1998 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am. On the screen, I see this beast of a shiny black car come out of the mist to threaten the existence of a little foreign exotic. Then what happens was not expected, as the Trans Am completely consumes the exotic and expels a belch followed by the tagline, “The Muscle Car Lives”.

I was floored. Never had I seen such an amazing looking car. Pontiac had once again captured my attention and luckily enough at that time I was saving to buy my first new vehicle.

So in 1999, I walked into a dealership with $9,000 in cash and laid it down telling them I wanted a new Black Trans Am with Six Speed and Chrome Wheels. With that down payment and a little waiting I soon took delivery of my 1999 Trans Am. It was not a Ram Air car, but I would take care of that soon enough by adding a WS6-style hood and 30th Anniversary Trans Am dual stripes. I now had a car that was well known in my city and definitely stood out from all the other American cars and imports. It was at that point that I became a Firebird enthusiast. Attending and winning many car shows. Finding a car club that shared my enthusiasm for the same car and making new friends and memories that will last a lifetime.

Then the first fateful blow comes in 2001 as General Motors announces that there will be no more Firebirds after the 2002 model year. I become deeply saddened by that news, yet I had hope that something good would come of it. Something good did happen. That announcement led me to making my next and most profound new vehicle purchase ever. I was finally able to realize a lifelong dream on January 5th, 2002 as I drove off the Pontiac showroom floor the last Special Edition Trans Am to ever be built. I was thrilled knowing that I was now the proud owner of a screaming yellow Collector Edition Trans Am WS6.

After getting my Collector Edition, I then discovered I had a need for more to compliment my car and that led me to the online store of PontiacMall.com of which I purchased every item with a Collector Edition logo on it. Adding to that, myself and another CETA owner founded a website to document the heritage of the car as well as give a gathering place for other CETA owners around the world. Through the message board of that site I met many of my now best friends and continue to this day to have a relationship with them.

Yet that is not the end of my story. I have to take a step back to 2002. After the production on Firebirds had stopped and I thought Pontiac had nothing else to offer me, GM and Pontiac surprise me with a car that made me once again fall in love with the Brand. The Pontiac Solstice concept vehicles were unveiled to the public and received critical acclaim and won best of show. I told myself that hopefully one day I would own that sporty little roadster that so reminded me of what an American car was.

Now fast forward to 2008 and I am participating in a Pontiac dealership car show with my CETA. Walking around the lot looking at the show cars I spy tucked behind the dealership a line of Solstices in varying colors. A salesman approaches and asks if I would like to take one for a test drive?

How could I say no? I took the Brazen Orange GXP Solstice out for a drive and fell in love. I had to have one. With fuel prices tipping the scales at almost $5 a gallon, it only made sense to get a 4-cylinder American roadster to help settle some spending. I placed an order for a new 2009 Solstice in Aggressive Red with the only option I thought necessary for a roadster in Louisiana, Air Conditioning. After months of waiting, my Solstice was built and delivered to me on September 13th, 2008. I was very proud of my new purchase and fully documented the addition of a second Pontiac vehicle to my collection. The Solstice is my daily driver and I get looks and questions about it every where I go. What can I say, I love the attention that driving a Pontiac gives me.

Then Monday April 27th, 2009 becomes one of the darkest days of my life. General Motors makes the official announcement that Pontiac will be no more after 2010.

Now, the only American car brand I have ever identified with is going away. Sorry to say but there is no other GM brand that has soul to it like Pontiac did for me. Even though GM’s other brands still make some outstanding vehicles, I will not be buying any new vehicles from GM.

With the discontinuation of Pontiac you , as a company, have lost a consumer, a supporter, a fan and a friend of the Greatest American Car company in the world.

Sincerely with Regret,

Paul M. Myers

After I sent the letter I got some response back from GM. First was a letter that I received on May 11, 2009 and then I got a call from a GM representative a month later asking me if there was anything else that they could do for me. It seemed like they wanted to care, but there was nothing that anyone could do. I just wanted to make sure that they knew how this affected those of us that love our PONTIAC's!

I also had a "MEMORIAM" decal made at a local decal shop that I put on both of my Pontiacs. I wanted it to resemble a black band that some wear on the arm at a funeral.

As for my Pontiacs. I have owned 3 and presently own 2. My first was a 1999 Black Trans Am which I traded for my second, the 2002 Collector Edition Trans Am. Most recently I had the chance to order a 2009 Solstice to get in on the last true production year.

My 1999 Trans Am

My 2002 Collector Edition T/A

My 2009 Solstice 2.4

[Killiger2009]

dude welcome i want ur car i jizzed wen i saw it omg so moar pics dude thats all i can say and any upcoming mods

so where do u reside? if u dont mind me asking

[BANDITCAR]

dude welcome i want ur car i jizzed wen i saw it omg so moar pics dude thats all i can say and any upcoming mods

so where do u reside? if u dont mind me asking

hahah, thanks man...I appreciate the compliment!

I live is southeastern Louisiana. About 40 miles north or New Orleans (Home of the Superbowl Champion SAINTS!) ahem....

I would post more pics, but I don't want to overload the thread with them. In my Signature, I have links (in white) to each of my cars cardomain sites that each have hundreds of pics and all the info for my cars. You are more than welcome to check it out.

Oh and as for mods...The Trans Am is where I want it right now. Don't have any plans for it in the immediate future. ( but you know how that can change)

The Solstice I have a dual GXP exhaust for it. Just gotta buy a rear valance with the dual opening. Then I'm thinking CAI and that will be good since its my Daily driver and I don't want to get too crazy with it.

[emily.todd]

digg the cars..

but lord help your soul..

your a saints fan.

[Killiger2009]

digg the cars..

but lord help your soul..

your a saints fan.

ROFL pitssburgh baby even tho cheeseburger is a re re and we lost holmes anyways i kno what u mean so u should turbo the solstice just cuz....thats ur excuse and im addding u on cardomain dude

[emily.todd]

lord help your soul too!

what is with you people ha

[BANDITCAR]

digg the cars..

but lord help your soul..

your a saints fan.

Sure Am! Through and through...and the Lord loves us Saints fans!

ROFL pitssburgh baby even tho cheeseburger is a re re and we lost holmes anyways i kno what u mean so u should turbo the solstice just cuz....thats ur excuse and im addding u on cardomain dude

Thought about turbo....prolly go supercharger, though. But that's many moons from now, haha. And you have been added on Cardomain! Thanks.

[Killiger2009]

get sytrifical more power in low end

[emily.todd]

ew siicckk!!

i bleed purple and yellow

[BANDITCAR]

ew siicckk!!

i bleed purple and yellow

LSU?...close enough.

heh heh

get sytrifical more power in low end

That's exactly what I want since that is where I spend most my time carving up the backroads down here in the swamps, heh heh.

[Ringo64]

Welcome to Forever Pontiac!!!

Quite some intro you got there! Great letter as well! Seems you came to the right place as well. Should of told GM to give you a G8 GXP when they asked if they could do anything else to help you

Would love to see a progression thread of both your cars!

Do you have a GXP Solstice or just the base? cause I was gonna say I thought the GXP was turbo'd stock.

[emily.todd]

oh god no! deffinitally not haha

Minnesota vikings baby! (before favre)

[BANDITCAR]

Welcome to Forever Pontiac!!!

Quite some intro you got there! Great letter as well! Seems you came to the right place as well. Should of told GM to give you a G8 GXP when they asked if they could do anything else to help you

Would love to see a progression thread of both your cars!

Do you have a GXP Solstice or just the base? cause I was gonna say I thought the GXP was turbo'd stock.

Thanks for the welcome!

My solstice is the base 2.4 liter. I ordered it with only one option, A/C. No power options at all...not even cruise control or electric locks. I wanted it to be a Bare Bones Roadster.

oh god no! deffinitally not haha

Minnesota vikings baby! (before favre)

heh heh, I knew that. Just makin a little joke

The Vikings v. Saints game was one HELLUVA GAME! I think I almost died during it. hahah

[Jedi3]

Great letter I enjoyed reading.

you have and had some great rides!

[[ChaosweaveR]]

Wow! Welcome to the site!

We need more passionate members like yourself.

Make some progression threads for both your cars.

[BANDITCAR]

Thanks for the warm welcome guys!

I really do love my Pontiacs and plan on keeping them forever and hopefully adding more to the flock.

I will take some time and do progression threads. I have tons of pics to use and lots of things that I have done so It might take some time to put together, but its now on my list.

Thanks for having such a cool site to talk Pontiac and not just be model specific.

[[ChaosweaveR]]

Of course.

Not all Pontiac enthusiasts are so united though. A lot of GTO owners, and even Grand Prix guys won't join because all Pontiacs are welcome. I've seen first hand how GTO (most) owners feel about anything that isn't V8 and RWD, and ClubGP.com, a few guys just decided to mess with us because the majority of Pontiacs here are G6s and GAs. Lame. Hopefully the future will heed more people of all Pontiac types.

[Rodimus_Prime]

GTO owners seem to be an odd bunch

I'm more of a Trans Am guy myself though, after all they looked better and were faster

[Ghost]

hello. great to have you here. great cars! on making a progression for both. and you can still buy Pontiacs. i almost did, a '66 Ventura. GPs and GTOs will eat my dust...in the future, when im done.

[Mariachi]

Nice rides ya got there! love the Yellow TA.

[markpetersonii]

Why hello there! VERY nice vehicles, I am ALSO a Vikings fan

[Crimson]

GREAT SCOTT! that yellow T/A makes my pants fit funny..

i will own a WS6 someday......if i can find one thats around when what someday arrives